Today is a good day to jump...

Growing pains are inevitable. To live truly extraordinary lives, we must challenge ourselves to grow beyond our comfort zones.

No one dreams of being ordinary. As little kids, we dream of being astronauts and inventors. We dream of discovering new civilizations and  unknown species of dinosaurs. As kids, we imagine greatness and fearlessly throw ourselves from the crags of our comfort zones.

Let's return to that place of boundless greatness within ourselves. Let's revive our inspiring fearlessness-- the courage that allows us to take our first steps and peddle our bikes without the assistance of training wheels.

We only get one shot at this. Each day that passes is one less day in our bodies, one less day on this planet. We need to begin, even if it is a bit uncomfortable, seeking out our extraordinary, and jumping from the cliffs of of our comfort zones.

Silence the small voice inside that speaks from fear, and realize that there is a brilliantly courageous child inside that is ready to jump!

peace and love,

jaclyn

Food

It has been a while since I have written about food, so we'll give it a ramble this morning...

You are what you eat. You are what you eat eats.

Bold and centered because it is a saying that get ignored far too often, but is one of the biggest truths that your body knows. If we consume nutrient rich,whole and living foods, our bodies are then rich in nutrients and "whole"- meaning properly fueled and hence capable of doing its work.

We live in an era of sickness. We accept cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, obesity, etc as a common life definer and oftentimes demiser. We live in an era of mental unrest, suffering anxiety, attention disorders, depression, aggression, ect, while swallowing pills in hopes of some form of band-aid fix.

An analogy for you, friends:

Most of us own cars. As a nation dependent on independent travel we own cars. We are very careful to take good care of our cars, are we not? When we are running low on fuel we head to a gasoline station and fill our tanks with the prescribed petrol. Every 3,000 miles we bring them in to change their oil, making sure to have the proper oil for our engines. We put the right fluid in the right places, coolant in the coolant receptacle, power steering fluid in the power-steering receptacle. Well, most of us opt to pay someone to do it, but we trust that they will properly abide by the above rules.

If the proper fluids are not added to the proper place, we understand that we will likely suffer some issues, perhaps an outright, breakdown. We know that we cannot pour some antifreeze into our gasoline tank and expect good performance. We take such good care of our cars, our transportation.

And yet our bodies... Our poor bodies are neglected. We fill ourselves with the wrong kinds of fuels and fluids and then resolve ourselves to deal with our diseases. And, the diseases will and do come if we do not take care of these bodies, our MAIN and most essential mode of transportation.

Eating much of the food like items that fill our supermarkets is akin to dumping a jug of vinegar in your gas tank; it is not going to enable your body to function properly.

It all works together. Real food is needed for the proper functioning of our bodies, and I promise you that our brains are a part of those bodies and just as effected by the garbage that we put into them. Our minds and bodies, just like our automobiles, require the right fuel.

Eat vegetables. Eats, fruits. Eat grains. Eat ingredients. 

Learn to cook; your life depends upon it.

Peace and love. Eat well and be well.

Jaclyn

Shame

Shame is not a constructive emotion. It does not inspire us to change; it does not encourage us to grow. Carrying shame is really just a relationship with an abusive partner, except that the abuser is you—your inner voice instructing you to hold onto things from the past that cannot be changed. Or, defining some aspect of your being as unacceptable. Your emotions feed on this negativity and you are left lamenting the past or just feeling awful.

I wonder at these entities of shame guilt, which we seem to celebrate in our society. We role-model it for our children inspiring them to create their own burdens to carry. In the upper mid-west we tend to put our guilt and shame on a pedestal. We coin it “Lutheran or Catholic guilt”. We celebrate it in a way that we celebrate the long goodbye or our overly pronounced ‘O’. “Nooo. I can’t doo that. Lutheran guilt, you know”. We carry our burdens with pride because we are under the impression that it keeps us humble. The deep secret hidden, we proudly shine our badges of shame. We are martyrs and cross carriers and we celebrate this because we feel it makes us better people. IT DOES NOT.

 Burdened by shame or guilt is not a productive or healthy way to address any present moment! Think about this: If you are carrying a heavy load in your arms, how can you free your hands to shake a stranger’s? If your arms are holding shame, how do you free them so that you can completely hold your children? Your partner? You friend in need of a hug? If your mind is clouded by this burden, how can your thoughts be fully there to listen to the stories that your children share? You cannot be fully present for life if you are chained to the shame or guilt of a past decision, action or aspect of being.

Let it go. Whatever it is, let it go. You are not your past decisions or actions. If it is an aspect of your being that causes this cloud, know that you are perfect in this present moment! Defined only by your own thoughts- celebrate yourself! Let it go and show up fully for every present moment. Free your hands to shake a stranger’s! Free your arms to hug your friends! Free your mind so that you are fully there to soak up the stories that your children tell. Be. Here. Now. It will make you a better person! Find your peace.

meditation, mindfulness and the art of being utterly present

There has always been a stigma surrounding meditation. The word invokes a Tibetan monk, clad in the monastic robes. He is perched in a solitary beam of light in the pose... There is nothing wrong with this picture, and we can certainly all aspire to find the peace that these monks possess; however, the reality of the matter is that we, the general population do not live in a Tibetan monastery where we can focus our days on enlightenment and spend hours sitting in meditation.

That's okay. These things are not necessary for bringing yourself into the peace of the present. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese monk who has shared his beautiful insights with the world: teachings and writings alike, gives us a practical path to follow. He teaches that we must spend our days in mindfulness, and be utterly present. He teaches that meditation, peace and presence do not require us to sit and be still with our eyes closed, but can be practiced throughout our days.

The key to this, is to simply bring your awareness into the moment that you are in. Throughout the day as we preform the various tasks necessary for our lives, we can simply be mindful of our thoughts, when they wander, reign them in. When our thoughts travel into the realm of anxiety for future happenings, come back to the present. You are are here, in this body, breathing. You are safe. You are whole. You are enough. When you thoughts get wrapped up in past happenings that you feel shame or remorse for, come back to the present. You are here, in the body ,breathing. You are safe. You are whole. You are enough.

nomenclature

     

   Humanity has always attempted to explain the unexplainable.  Every culture, every continent, every country has celebrated at least one story that explains the phenomenally undefinable power that is apparent to most people. We have shaped gods and messengers; brilliant and beautiful yarns have been woven to honor and celebrate how this miraculous existence is made possible. 

            Whatever you find that works for you, do it, believe it, eat it, dream it. There is no such thing as one right answer. There is no one right path. There is only a multitude of fantastic possibilities. There is beauty in and a necessity for diversity. Nature teaches us that diversity is that which makes life thrive. We see this in all natural spaces that humanity has left untouched. Mono-cultures become desserts. From Iraq to North Dakota there is evidence of this. The cultivation of single crops kills out natural vegetation. Life heaves a sigh and resigns itself from these plots of land. Why do we humans assume that we are so removed from nature that a human dessert would not be our destiny if we aim for mono-culture? In asking or expecting that all people worship “God’ using the same name and the same belief system, in demanding that one religion or spiritual practice is the only and right one, we ask that humanity give up an incredibly essential facet of our nature. We are all necessary. We are not good or bad, right or wrong. We just are. Necessary. Lovely. Perfect.

Where You Live

There is an old adage: your body is a temple. I agree, but think that this adage requires a bit more development.

Our bodies are not sacred buildings that we enter for weekly worship; they are the sacred spaces where we reside, the place we call home, as well as being our primary mode of transportation. Our bodies are the hammock in which we relax, the couch where we veg out, and alas, the one reality we cannot escape so long as we breathe. Without this home, we miss out on all the beauty of being. The opportunity to reside in these beautiful vessels—our bodies is a gift that needs to be embraced.

Reading about health and wellness is a favorite hobby of mine and I spend a bit of time in the blog world reading about the different things both experts and general doers of physical health do. Here is what I have gathered from my research:

Everyone needs to run as it is the best form of cardio activity. No one should run because it causes a great deal of wear and tear on one’s knees. Everyone needs to do yoga because it is good for the body and you cannot become a fully, spiritually awake individual without doing yoga. No one should do yoga because it could wreck your back. Eat these three supplements and you will never need to exercise again—X, Y, Z. High intensity workouts are the only kind of effective workout don’t bother with the others. Do this one thing and you will live forever… The third on the list will blow your mind… Never-mind, there is no list.

Here is the thing. Just as there is not one right path that each human being should walk, there is not one exercise routine, ritual or form that is best for all people. Experts mean well, but they do not know us personally. They have never lived in our bodies. You live there. It is your home and you know all of its rooms; you know where the light-switches are, you know from which window you can watch a sunrise. You understand what makes your body thrive and feel good. This is the key: to know your body, know what makes you feel happy, healthy, awake, and energetic. Know what makes you thrive and do it. Just understand and listen to the messages that your body sends you and live/ eat/ exercise accordingly. 

Listen

Look to your heart in each present moment. Your heart is that force which assures us that, as long as our basic needs are met and we are not in a situation of immanent danger, that we are safe. It tells us that we are loved, supported, fed, clothed and beautiful in our humanness. Heart does not pretend to expect perfection. It blankets us in compassion and encouragement to do our best. Listen to your heart.




   

Forward

There are days, my friends, that all we need to do is keep moving forward.

Peace and love, ya'll  XOX

The Lemon of a Plan and the Key to Happiness

Happiness will not come until we can fill our hearts with gratitude.

I know that there are days that make the act of mindful gratitude seems an impossible task. I get it. Tragedies happen to the peaceful soul and the tormented soul alike. People die. Things fall apart. There is no cure for this, and I am not parading that anyone can live a life free of tragedy, a bit of pain, and general rough stuff. But here is the deal, my darlings... our happiness is not dependent on a life free from stressful situations, tragic losses, or the unfortunate circumstances that pull the rug from beneath our feet. Happiness is dependent upon our ability to get back on our feet and return to that heart space were we can view our existence with gratitude.

Happiness is never dependent on stuff. Certainly there are comforts that we can enjoy that are made from material goods; however, to put store in the idea that happiness can be found when you get that thing is a lemon of a plan.

Happiness will not be found in the next city, or the next job, or with the next better partner... The truth of it folks: happiness does not lurk, never lurks around the next corner. It is always there, existing in your heart space and completely accessible. Gratitude unlocks it.

The Buddha tells us that all suffering stems from desire. He is right. Wanting what you do not have- the job, the car, the partner, ect, will cause you to suffer. Gratitude for the blessings you enjoy will bring happiness. You must seek out the blessings. You must practice gratitude. Therein is your joy.

Focus

We create reality. Yep. We are that powerful. Granted we cannot control the weather and the circumstances that we find ourselves immersed in are often quite outside of our making; but this is not our reality. Our reality is our perception of that environment. Our reality is what we are focused on at any given moment.

Life is ever-unfolding; morning comes and days ensue. This is clockwork, and for as long as we have these bodies, we must interact with our days. We create our experiences through our perceptions of those ensuing days. Focus on the good and you will see good.

Everything “out there” is simply a manifestation of what is “in here”. Period. Reality is our mirror. If we are distrusting of those around us, it is only because we distrust ourselves. If we look beyond ourselves with fear, it is simply that we fear that which is in ourselves. We are afraid of people we do not know because we do not know ourselves. We fear the world changing because we fear our own changing. Actions, reactions, intentions—not feeling confident of our own makes us fear these things of others. This is where we need to shift and find our light and give ourselves love! If we can celebrate ourselves, our perfect imperfections and love an accept ourselves, we can then approach our friends, family, neighbors and strangers with this same love. As we heal ourselves, we heal the world.

Morning light

I am waiting for the light- the slow growth of ember and hope that without fail climbs above the eastern horizon each day and lights up the darkness. It is not by chance that the light burns daily through the darkness, giving us eyes and and a clear path into each day. This deliberate movement, this beautiful dance of spheres in space is a mindful meditation. It is a gift-- yet another chance. Another opportunity for me to wake and clear my head and set out on my path, heart full of love, soul full of light.

 Daily my heart has the opportunity to swoon at the wonder of nature, the trees that root themselves in the richness of this land and the branches that reach ever sun-ward. The trees do not mind the weather, they do not bow down inside of themselves when the clouds hold the light for themselves. We cannot fault the clouds-- December is a long hibernation, we are all thirsty for light.

Let us reach up as trees, rooted firmly. Let us practice this daily mindful meditation that these wondrous sphere teach us. Each day, let us begin with the slow growth of ember and hope. Let us trust that the sun will climb above the horizon and light up our darkness. Let us wake and clear our heads, and set out for our adventures on a well lit path. Heart full of love. Soul full of light.

 

balance

Balance is tricky. We exist in a space between darkness and light, the past and the future, hope and despair. Within this space we can experience the peace of the present and the infinite choice to turn toward the light, to turn toward hope and love.

The balance of mindfulness is a bit like driving a car. You must always pay attention and keep it between the lines. Distractions can cause us to veer off into oncoming traffic or cause other minor or major tragedies. We must be fully there as we steer ourselves through our days. We must be fully aware of where we are driving at all times; so much depends upon this.

"What is at stake here?", you might ask. I tell you, everything is at stake. At every moment we are fully in charge of how we exist in that moment. The ego is ever present and wanting to respond- but the ego is a  naive child that assumes that every turn of the world is about our ego. Ego assumes that anything you experience as hurtful is a direct attack on our beings. Generally this is not the case. The majority of our fears, anxiety and stress are simply our ego's fantastic imagination hard at work. Silence the mind and you will find you are standing firmly on solid ground, body breathing that delicious breath, eyes taking in all that wonder and light. There is only now. 

In each moment we can remain in the extraordinary place and peace of the present. And unless we are experiencing one of those rare moments when we are truly in danger, we can simply turn the wheel; keep it between the lines. Focus on the now.